Alright, our economy is in the shithole. That said, it’s often hard to justify–I don’t know–a $250 scrap of leather to protect your precious new iPhone 3G or any pair of shoes over $100. But wait. There are two exceptions.

1). As pictured above, Louis Vuitton’s fly Damier Graphite Sneakers ($595) will impress just about everyone in the urban-hipster NY scene. The “checkers” are subtle enough so you don’t feel trashy rocking anything blatantly LV, yet easily identifiable as a high-end LV product. Not going to lie, it looks like the good folks at Louis V took some notes from our Parisian friends, Lanvin. The shape of the shoe, laces, and even front resemble a pair I just purchased a few weeks ago at Barney’s for $630. Which pair’s hotter? That’s up for you to decide.

2). Also pictured above, LV returns to the scene with a new iPhone case. Thank the lord. (semi-sarcastic) The first two cases the company introduced were severely flawed. The first was the classic monogram canvas style, which means a). it looks fake and b). in my opinion, is just plain ugly. The second, dubbed “taiga leather” felt like plain plastic, and was maybe a little to understated for my willing-to-spend-$250-to-protect-something-that-costs-$199 self. Well, look no further. The new Damier Graphite iPhone Case ($250) satisfies both your need to look fly without looking classy, as well as your desire to protect your baby iPhone from scratches and smudges

Both products are available online at eLuxury or at your local Louis Vuitton boutique.

As the summer season draws nearer, it’s time for us guys to step our game up. Here’s one way to: cop one of Yves Saint Laurent’s t-shirts off the Spring/Summer ‘08 line. Mind you, we caught Kanye West rocking the logo shirt on the right way back in ‘06, but it hasn’t been played out yet. (I’ve yet to run into anyone rocking this in NYC at least) Another option is the fly-as-hell “Cruise Shirt,” pictured left, which resembles the uniform of a ship crew member.

How much will these shirts set you back? The Cruise Shirt (left) currently sells for $330 and the Logo Tee (right) sells for $285 exclusively in YSL boutiques and on YSL.com.

While these shirts may break the bank, keep in mind they’re 10x flyer than Ed Hardy at only double the price–talk about a steal!

I see where Bill Gates is going with this one. As you may or may not already know, Microsoft announced their new line up of Zune digital media players earlier this month. What you didn’t hear, though, is that they’re going to start branding certain players to certain musicians in an effort to boost sales of the devices and possibly grab some of Apple’s share in the digital music sales market. The first attempt: latin reggaeton duo Wisin Y Yandel.

The limited-edition Wisin & Yandel Zune device will hit Wal-Mart stores nationwide October 29, before the release of the duo’s new album, Los Extraterrestres, due November 6.

Featuring the new album, videos, exclusive pictures and customized packaging, the MP3 player is but one aspect of a multiplatform Microsoft promotion that targets a new Latin consumer at the same time it promotes a hip Latin act.

To all the reggaeton lovers out there, let us know what you think!

Introducing the beautiful 8-inch touchscreen GPS system named the “Gorilla.” Manufactured by Sanyo, the device–which also sports a 30GB hard drive and dual TV turners–keeps you on track with 3D directions, as well as traffic updates, and even cute little tips for reducing your carbon emissions. The navigator hits stores in Japan on 11/26 for roughly $2,000. (¥226,000) Start saving…

Guys carry a LOT of stuff around with them on a daily basis—pens, computers, books, iPods, iPhones, BlackBerries, notepads, cigarettes, condoms, mints…you get my point. Every guy on the go is faced with the dilemma of where to put all the stuff he hauls around. In pants pockets? This works—as long as you’re wearing cargo pants, which are fine if you can wear them, but often look bulky when pockets are full. How about in jacket pockets? Fine again, but this style also looks bulky when eight million things are stuffed in each opening. So what is the modern man to do? Continue wearing unflattering, bulky clothing? We think not.

Instead, invest in…gasp…shock…A MAN BAG. That’s right, a bag, a murse, whatever you want to call it. Why, you ask? For the stylish city dweller, having everything but the kitchen sink on hand is essential. And what better way to carry everything than in a well-made, fashionable bag? So what if bags are conventionally women’s territory? Man bags are more sophisticated and grown up than backpacks, which are often associated with tourists. And fannypacks…let’s not even go there.

Why you might want to: Bags are no longer just a female accessory, and many labels offer masculine versions free of the elaborate decoration of a women’s bag, and options abound to suit each style. For the logo lover, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Dior Homme all make bags covered in the brand’s signature print, in both messenger and tote styles. Fearless logo devotees have been seen carrying monogrammed Goyard bags, including the women’s St. Louis tote. For gentlemen who prefer more subtle styles, Bottega Veneta makes leather messengers and totes in its renowned woven structure, in addition to sturdy canvas bags. For the true fashionista, Balenciaga’s Men’s Day and Weekender bags are hugely popular for among the fashion elite. YSL makes both briefcase and weekend bag versions of its women’s Muse bag, in addition to carryalls and zippered totes. If exclusivity and lack of a logo are two stipulations for you, then Valextra—which makes luxurious leather bags without a logo in sight—and T.Anthony, famous for its canvas bags—are perfect for you.

Why you might not want to: Maybe you lack the confidence to carry a bag? There aren’t many reasons why you can’t or wouldn’t carry a bag—unless its pink, sparkly, or obviously for women, go for it. If Snoop Dogg can do it, so can you.

What’s going on? I’m Sam and am new to the Killed That team. I’ll be on here giving you an inside look at stores, restaurants, products, clothes, trends, and new labels.

Here’s who’s Killing That this month in Fashion/Style:

Logos can be cool, despite all the bad buzz they receive in the fashion world. Kanye, Diddy, and Eve can make logos look hot–but more often than not, you’ll be associated with wannabes carrying fakes from Canal St., regardless of whether your bag or accessory is the real thing.

One brand, however, has brought logos back from fashion purgatory: Goyard.

Goyard was founded in 1853 in Paris. Currently, Goyard is sold in fewer than fifteen locations worldwide, including two freestanding boutiques in Paris and San Francisco, Bergdorf Goodman, select Barneys New York locations and after its current expansion, the Toronto Bloor Holt Renfrew. (courtesy of Wikipedia).

Why you need it: Goyard’s signature print, as shown above, is less recognizable than Louis Vuitton, but suggests an insider knowledge of what’s hot before it hits the masses.

Expect to pay: $500 and up for wallets, $1,000 and up for bags. Mens and Womens.
For more info: log onto Goyard’s web site.